Search for Drug Lord Leads to Killings in Jamaica

The civilian death toll in West Kingston has climbed to 44, after three days of bloody fighting between Jamaican security forces and defenders of “Shower Posse” gang lord Christopher “Dudus” Coke. The violence began Monday morning, when police attempted to arrest Coke to extradite him to the U.S., where he is wanted for drug-running and arms-trafficking. Bruce Golding, Jamaica’s prime minister, at first refused to turn Coke over to the U.S., accusing Stateside authorities of using unwarranted wiretapping to collect evidence against Coke. Golding finally yielded to American pressure last week, issuing a warrant for Coke’s arrest, but at post time the gang leader had yet to be apprehended.